Asa’s eyes were lit up with a pure kind of innocence, making the golden embers stand out even more than usual. He rambled on and on about how he believed tacos were overrated and that elotes tasted much better without the mayonnaise and sour cream, the enthusiasm never leaving his face or voice as he allowed Carmen to step into his world.
And even as her ears registered his words, her heart was absorbing everything else: the rushed tone of his voice as if he’d never be able to say all that he wanted to before tonight was over; the way his lips remained stretched into a wide, excited smile; and the way his entire face seemed to light up when he spoke so passionately about something he loved.
“And, I mean, who would even want to eat that, right? It even smells—” Asa was cut off when Carmen grabbed the back of his neck on impulse and pulled his face down to press her lips against his.
She rose to her knees from her sitting position, curling her entire arm around his neck as she kissed him deeply. The moment didn’t last for too long, though, as she pulled away after a few more seconds.
Asa blinked, staring at her in a dazed manner as he brought his hand up to touch his bottom lip. “What was that for?” he asked in a surprised tone, genuine happiness evident on his face.
Carmen lifted her shoulders helplessly. “You were being cute.”
Asa only grunted in reply, averting his gaze, but Carmen caught the way his lips twitched—a telltale sign of a smile being suppressed.
That only caused a smile of her own to sneak its way onto her face.
•••
As it turned out, Asa was also obsessed with ice cream.
After they had left the park, Asa drove them to a self-service ice cream parlour and had gone crazy trying out toppings of various flavours and types until he realised he couldn’t force himself to eat his horrible concoction.
Carmen watched him dump his paper cup into a bin and serve all over again, all the while struggling to contain her laughter because she had repeatedly told him the toppings he’d chosen didn’t blend with one another at all. He’d told her something about being adventurous and trying out new things.
“Just plain old cookies and cream,” Asa said with a sigh as he walked to where she was standing, holding up his freshly served ice cream.
“Aw, really? What happened to being adventurous?” Carmen asked, feigning pity.
Asa shot her a half-hearted glare. “Don’t.”
“Now, now.” She grinned. “We can’t all be experts at both Mexican cuisine and ice cream. Don’t be too hard on yourself.” Carmen pressed her lips together, trying her hardest not to laugh at the wounded look on Asa’s face.
“You’re being awfully cheeky tonight,” Asa muttered, eyes softening as they swept across every inch of Carmen’s face.
“Means I’m happy.” She smiled, reaching out and slipping an arm around the crook of his elbow as they walked towards the exit and left the parlour.
They decided to leave his truck in the parking lot, opting to walk around the block with their ice cream cups rather than having it inside the crowded parlour.
Asa went on to tell her about the time he’d made breakfast for his family for the first time ever and his mother had come into the kitchen with a baseball bat, thinking a burglar had broken in.
Carmen listened as he told her about his mother’s huge vendetta against cursing whilst she herself did it relentlessly. And not once did Carmen find herself without a smile on her face. She loved to hear him speak about his family, about his trips to Mexico for their Independence Day, and the crazy pranks his cousins would pull on each other.
Somewhere along the way, Carmen realised he was doing the talking for both of them because he knew she wouldn’t have much to say about her own family. And if it was even possible, she fell that much more in love with him.
They dumped their empty ice cream cups into a street bin and walked back around the block to return to the parking lot, Asa’s arm now draped over Carmen’s shoulders as he tucked her into the side of his body.
“So how come you don’t have a phone?” Asa asked, frowning slightly.
“I’ve got no use for it,” Carmen replied, pinching her brows together. “I mean, all everyone uses it now for is the social media applications, right? I can’t see myself opening up a Facebook or Twitter account, unless I wanted to take nature photographs or share my paintings and stuff.”
“Um, you’d use an Instagram account for that, rather than Facebook or Twitter,” Asa told her, amusement dancing across his face.
“Same thing, right?” Carmen sighed. “ Just pictures being posted everywhere.”
“Fine, forget the social media, but what about keeping in touch with your friends?”
“I have this thing called a landline, you know.” Carmen rolled her eyes. “Joyce contacts me through that. Willa and Lottie aren’t exactly the friends I take back home with me after school.”
Asa stopped in his tracks, removing his arm from around Carmen’s shoulders and shooting her a deadpan look. “Do I really have to spell it out for you?”
Carmen tilted her head at him, confusion flickering in her eyes. “What are you talking about?”
Asa grumbled under his breath before throwing his arms into the air. “Me! I’m talking about me. How am I supposed to keep in touch with you?”
